From Letters to Loss
by Li the Twilight Knight
Summary: More detailed rewrite of my other story "The Second Child". L, A, and B at Wammy's. Explains L's history with Aisha and Beyond from 'Cor'. It's pretty much the prequel, from the beginning to past the L.A.B.B. case.
1. Prologue: Secret Origins

Prologue: Secret Origins

I remember the first orphanage. Screaming children everywhere. I got sent there after my parents died. I don't even remember how they died, just that the next six months were spent in that hateful place. The caretakers appeared to simply be trying to cope, since most of the children were crying and wailing most of the time. I kept to myself, and they thought I was strange because I didn't burst into hysterics like the rest of them. They looked down on me because I was obviously so far ahead of everyone else. Six months of that hell; even though I wasn't old enough to truly feel hate, I was miserable. Then Watari came.

Watari had been traveling, and had heard rumors about this particular orphanage, and me in particular. He asked to meet me, and immediately took a liking to me. Mr. Wammy… I can hardly call him that anymore. He has been Watari to me for so long… But anyway, back on topic. He adopted me, got me out of that horrible place. Legally, I was his adopted son, but we always looked on it as more of a grandfather/grandson relationship. He certainly spoiled me like a grandparent.

I remember being six years old, standing with Watari in front of Wammy's House, my new home, in my coat and my black scarf and mittens. I will admit to being scared then. We were in Winchester, England. I had been born in France, and spoke only French, but he patiently taught me English. I picked it up so quickly that I became fluent, and even the telltale French accent was gone.

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Watari became my grandfather, my mentor, the only family I could really remember. He wanted to open his own orphanage, but make it a school for the gifted and the special. Children like me.

He also gave me my first experience with sweets. I had never been given sweets as a child, and they were unheard of in the other orphanage. It became the only thing I would eat, because other food seemed bland and tasteless afterwards, and Watari let me. He told me that people like me often had small quirks that they could not give up. He never mocked me for the way I sat, the things I ate, my need to chew my thumb or the way I dressed. I think the quirk with my thumb comes from a dislike of distraction. The sensation draws me back to the _here_ and the _now_, and allows me to block out all outside interruptions.

At that other orphanage, they practically feared me for my quirks. I got hit, a lot, by older bullies. But eventually they left me alone entirely, after one superstitious child convinced the rest that I was something evil. Black eyes, hell-spawn eyes, they began to say. One even went so far as to proclaim that only vampires possessed black eyes, and with my pale skin and underweight body, they feared me for being something that only existed in myth. I tried, a few times, to convince them otherwise, begging them to see that I didn't have fangs, and couldn't do anything to them, but they protested, saying that I would simply hypnotize them with my "demon eyes" if they came too close. So I closed myself away from them and everything else.

Watari gave me new words for my eyes: 'obsidian', 'outer space', and when I was particularly mischievous, as children are apt to be, 'black magic'. They weren't vampire eyes at all.

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As years passed, many other children began to join us in the house, but none were as smart as me. Watari had asked me long before that day what I wanted to be called around them, since I never seemed to give anyone my real name.

There was a reason behind that as well. My name had been a thing of ridicule for me in the past. I had told one of the children at that old orphanage my name, and they had turned it into an object of hurt. In French, in was pronounced as 'Low-lie-et', similar to the English phrase 'low-light'. They turned it, changing it to the only English they seemed to know.

"Low-life! Low-life!"

In English, it's pronounced differently, with a short "i" sound, and akin to the word 'Law'. 'Law-lee-et" Law was fitting for what I would become later, but for that time, I didn't want others to know my real name. I had been going by the name Daneuve when I met Watari, and it took me a long time to trust him enough to tell him my real name. I told him that neither name would work around the other children. I simply wanted to be known as L.

He was puzzled, but as usual, denied me nothing. My name would remain hidden until I was eleven years old, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The first instance against normalcy was when I was ten, when A arrived at the house.

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So it's exam week and I'm bored as hell. I figured I might as well start on my new project. If anyone read "The Second Child", my story for Beyond Birthday, this is intended to be a more detailed rewrite, for L, A, and B. Like character analysis. It's been done, I know, but I wanted to. This will likely not be updated every day, exam hell and all, but I'll do my best. I'll more than likely take down "Second Child" when this is done.

So, how do you say L's name? Because I always pronounced it like my own, "Law-li-et." Li like Lee, only spelled differently. But the Japanese romaji says "Eru Roraito." Raito like Light. WTF?

The vampire thing actually happened to me. I have really dark eyes, and when I was in the fifth grade some second grader accused me of being a vampire. She refused to come see that they're really brown. O.o

Luv and hugs!  
Li


	2. An Alteration to Normal

Chapter One: An Alteration to "Normal"

L looked up from his book, looking around the moderately-sized bedroom that had been his since his arrival at Wammy's House about four years ago. He had few personal belongings, but it felt like home anyway. It was proof that he had someone who cared for him, and that was the most precious thing he could ask for.

He set aside his textbook, which happened to be a book of Russian, and walked barefoot to the door. That was another of his quirks. He hated socks and shoes. They were like prisons for his feet, and he couldn't stand them, even outdoors. Briefly, he regretted having to put aside the book. Russian would be the latest on a long list of languages he had learned to the point of fluency. He spoke so many already, his voice had lost any trace of an accent. It even lacked the distinctive tones of Americans, or the lilt of the British, despite the fact that English was the language he spoke most often. No one could tell his nationality by the way he spoke.

The ten-year-old padded down the hallways of the upper floors, making his way down to the front hall. Mr. Wammy would be reading a story to the younger children at this time, and that left the disturbance as coming from Roger's office. He had heard car doors and new voices from his window, and that only happened when someone new came to Wammy's House or people came to adopt someone. Even if he didn't particularly like being around other children, he made it a point to know exactly who lived in the house. He didn't have to worry about being adopted, at least.

Turning towards Roger's office, his bare feet making no sound on the hardwood floor, he positioned himself just outside the door to wait for the right moment. He would disturb Roger, yes, but Roger was easily disturbed. The man wasn't particularly fond of children, but he was a good friend of Mr. Wammy's. Wammy had asked him to help, and Roger couldn't refuse.

L could hear tears, as well as frustrated sighs from Roger, and listened more closely. He could hear a girl's voice saying sadly, "Je ne parle pas anglais…"

Another foreign-born, French, and Roger didn't speak any languages besides English. L shouldered the door open, shuffling into the room. Roger stared at him a moment, but sighed in relief as L turned and began to speak French to the girl.

"Je m'appelle L. Comment t'appelle-tu?" _My name is L. What is your name?­_

The girl looked at him for a moment, then responded hesitantly, "Je m'appelle Arianna Martin."

L looked her up and down, asking curiously, "Quel age as-tu?" _How old are you?_ She looked about his age, and seemed smart. Smarter than most of the other 'gifted' children who arrived at Wammy's.

"J'ai neuf ans. Mon anniversaire est Decembre 31." _I'm nine years old. My birthday is December 31._ Two months younger, to the day. L turned to Roger, smiling.

"Her name is Arianna Martin. She's nine. What's her new name?"

Roger looked flustered a moment, shuffling the papers on his desk quickly before finding the one he was looking for. "Eh… Her alias is Alter. I think it's short for 'alternate'."

"Alter?" L looked disgusted. "That's not a name. That's a verb. That's just a word, at best." He looked back at Arianna. "Votre nouveau nom est Aisha." _Your new name is Aisha._

"Aisha…?" She spoke slowly, trying out the new name carefully. Roger sighed, pulling out the necessary paperwork. He'd leave it to L to explain how things worked to her. Lord knew, the boy understood better than he did half the time. Wammy's prodigy… The child was already working on real police cases. It was the only thing challenging enough! They were cases that had already been solved, but still! The boy was a genius, without a doubt. No wonder Quillsh was so proud of him…

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Within three weeks, leading into the week before Christmas, Aisha had learned enough English that at first conversation one would never know that English wasn't her first language. They had tested her IQ the same as they did for everyone else who entered Wammy's, and discovered that she was only twenty points below L, a feat which was astounding. While regular classes carried on, Wammy tutored L and Aisha himself, making sure that they were challenged enough not to be bored, but not pushing them too far.

L tried very hard to keep himself distant, like he did with everyone else, but found it exceedingly difficult. Aisha had a way with people, and being that they were the same age, he ended up spending more time with her than anyone else. They worked on puzzles together, solved things together, and got to know each other better. Yet somehow, L never truly considered her a friend. She was more like a sister, even if she couldn't have looked less related to him. Pretty copper-colored hair and kind amber eyes, she drifted around the house like an angel. More than one of the other boys had a crush on her, and were jealous of all the time she spent with L. Not that L cared, or anything.

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"L, do you have a real name?"

It was April or May, and they were sitting outside, picking out constellations. It was a fair enough question, but L still flinched slightly.

"Yes. Why?"

"I dunno. I mean, you know my name, but I don't know yours. You're just a letter."

"I don't tell my real name."

Aisha blinked, but nodded. "Okay. You must have a reason." She was getting ready to say something else, but Roger called them inside. Mr. Wammy wanted to speak to them. As they followed him inside, L couldn't help but think that that may have been Aisha's talent. Everyone who came to Wammy's had a specific talent or special trait. She could make people feel better simply by being there, by speaking to them.

Mr. Wammy waited in Roger's office, smiling at the two as they sat down. He addressed L first, his voice even, but anyone could hear the pride masked beneath.

"I want to start you both with detective training." he said quietly. "You're smart enough; I don't think it would be a problem for you at all."

"Really?" L asked, his eyes slightly wider than usual. Train for real police cases, not those stupid already-solved files they gave him? It sounded like a dream come true.

"Yes, really." Mr. Wammy said, a small smile playing on his face. He glanced at Aisha. "The partner, the successor should he fail… Is that suitable to you, Aisha?"

"Yes!" she said happily. She'd get to work with L, on real cases! What could be better?

"Then it's settled. Today is Friday, correct?" When they nodded, Mr. Wammy continued, "We can start lessons on Monday. Agreeable?"

Both ten-year-olds nodded fervently. They left the office, Aisha with an incurable smile and L exalting near-silently to himself in Slovenian, his newest acquired language. Both were thrilled that they would be learning real police-work. Those old cases weren't rewarding in the least. It was the best thing Wammy could have told them.

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The only name I've ever seen anyone give her is Alter. I'm sorry, but Alter is not a name, in my book. No offense to anyone.

So the translation summary I was reading for Another Note said something about L meeting Watari when he was eight, during something called the Europe Bio-terror Case. And it mentioned something about a Winchester Bombing Case and averting WWIII. I left all of that out, because quite frankly I didn't know what it was talking about. : ) Yeah...

Next chapter we see my other baby, dearest Beyond-kun!  
Li


	3. To Infinity And Beyond

Chapter Two: To Infinity… and Beyond

A year passed, though it seemed far shorter to L. They rang in the new decade, year 1990, with much celebration. L had relished New Year's Day, since all the children had crashed from staying up until midnight, and he could study in quiet. He was an insomniac after all. He never had needed much sleep.

January and February passed without much change in routine. He and Aisha had been given a relatively simple police case to solve, as a test, and had passed with flying colors. It seemed that both were on a path to be spectacular detectives one day. Aisha had a bit more trouble keeping up than L did; she was a brilliant thinker, but she lacked _something_, the quality that made L, L. As he described it, his 'talent', since every Wammy's child had one. But that didn't stop Aisha from trying, and she worked just as hard as L.

March the first was stormy. It rained all day, with occasional cracks of thunder and lightning splitting the dreary sky. Mr. Wammy had gone out for the day, leaving Roger in charge. No one knew where he had gone except L. He had told L that he was going to pick up a new child to stay with them. L impatiently read his textbook on the assassination attempts on the life of James I of England, waiting for Mr. Wammy to get back. Even Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot were not sufficient to hold his attention today. Mr. Wammy only went to get a child himself if they were special. Like him.

Aisha came into his room, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, and smiled as she handed it to L.

"I thought you'd like it, L." She had long-since adopted him as a brother, but he didn't seem to like it when she called him such. So she stuck to his name. Leaning over his shoulder, she peered at the page he'd been reading. "Guy Fawkes! I remember him. He's in the rhyme Mr. Wammy taught us! Remember, remember, the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot…"

L glanced up, adding to the end, "I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot." He smiled faintly. "Thanks, Aisha." He felt less impatient now.

"No problem. What's bugging you?"

L sighed. "He only goes and gets kids himself if they're like you or me. This is weird." Something was telling him that something was wrong. The same sort of feeling often helped with his police cases. But whether it was the stormy atmosphere, or something else, he felt uneasy.

Aisha blinked. She had known L for over a year now, and knew a few things about him. He was absolutely terrified of being alone. Sure, he pushed everyone away, but he knew that they were there if they needed him. He would have crumpled long ago without Mr. Wammy's support. Opting to attempt to calm his worries, she said brightly, "I'm sure it'll be fine, L! Don't worry so much."

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She stayed with him, and they passed the time playing Chinese checkers and attempting to outmaneuver each other. Finally, L leaped to his feet at the sound of a car door. He peered out the window urgently, and upon seeing Wammy's car, hurried for the door.

"L!" Aisha called. "Why the rush?"

"I don't know." L replied. "Something feels weird." She followed the ebony-haired boy down to the foyer, seeing the front door opening. Mr. Wammy stood there, a large umbrella in his grip. A small boy in a hooded raincoat stood beneath, walking into the foyer. He wiped his feet on the mat, before looking up and meeting L's eyes. Aisha took an involuntary step back. His eyes appeared to be glowing a bloody crimson. Then they were normal again, and he took off his hood and smiled crookedly.

It was like looking in a mirror, or some kind of twisted Escher illusion. The boy could have been a mirror of L in every way, save his eyes. Disheveled black hair, prominent slouch, scars of insomnia under his eyes… Original and doppelganger eyed each other for a moment, seeming to take in each other's presence, and the new boy's smile widened. His eyes flashed crimson again, staring over their heads, before Mr. Wammy distracted his attention.

"Well, come on. Let's go get your paperwork filled out." he said cheerfully, in the grandfatherly tone he used with most of the new children. The new boy followed silently, still looking back at L. If L didn't know better, he'd say that the boy looked confused, or upset. He glanced at Aisha, and she nodded.

"I'll see you later, L." She went back upstairs, knowing that only L was allowed to spy on stuff like this. Names and personal details were precious information, after all.

L slipped down the hall to stand outside the office, listening in on the conversation.

"…Let's see… Beyond Birthday… An unusual name, my boy. Were you named after anything in particular?"

"Sometimes I wonder…" The child's voice was soft, polite. L was surprised.

"Very well then. Your alias is Ryuzaki, and your letter is B. It suits your real name, doesn't it?"

"I have to use an alias?" L heard Mr. Wammy confirm the question, and heard the boy, Beyond, protest softly, "I don't like it. I like my real name."

"It's for safety reasons. Everyone here gets a new start, including you. Now run along and meet the other children. I'll get one of the staff to show you your room."

L scrambled back away from the door as it opened. He came face to face with his mirror, staring into eyes that, up close, appeared to be a shiny red-onyx color. Beyond stared at him a long moment, his eyes flashing ruby for the briefest moment before going back to normal.

"Who are you?"

"I am L." L replied. "What's your name?"

"He said I'm Ryuzaki, but that's a stupid name. My name is Beyond Birthday." Beyond scowled.

"How old are you?" L asked curiously, inadvertently slipping into detective mode. "When's your birthday?"

Beyond blinked. "I'm ten. My birthday was two years ago." He smiled as L's eyes filled with puzzlement. "My birthday's February 29. The actual day's only once every four years!" His eyes flickered back up to the space above L's head, and he asked, "Is your name really L? Or is that the name they gave you?"

"It's really my name." L said guardedly. He didn't even trust Aisha with his name. He certainly wouldn't trust this boy he just met.

"Okay." Beyond still seemed puzzled, but hid it well. Lightning lit up the sky outside, and for a moment he was silhouetted in the dark hallway. He smiled widely, looking almost adorable. "I like it here. People are much nicer here than they were back in Wiltshire. They didn't like me much. I'm glad I got to leave after mother and father died."

"Your parents are dead?" L felt the tiniest flicker of pity. He knew what that felt like. At least Beyond could remember his parents.

"Yes. I knew they were going to." He missed the baffled look from L, continuing, "The numbers said so."

This kid was odd, that was for sure. Far odder than L, in L's own personal opinion. "Ryuzaki…" he said, attempting to get the other's attention. This was met with a face. L smiled faintly. "I know. I can call you by your name when we're by ourselves, but nobody else can know. Not even Aisha."

"Aisha?"

"A friend of mine. We're going to meet her now." He turned and began to walk away down the hallway. Beyond stared a moment, then hurried to catch up.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

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Someone smack me for the title. Please. I'm delusional from lack of sleep. Exams were murder...

I love Beyond Birthday! Strange little thing, ain't he? Heh...

I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Enjoy the new chapter!  
Li


	4. Common Heights

Chapter Three: Common Heights

L had researched Wiltshire, looking for an instance where both of Beyond's parents could have died. Because, to put it _very_ bluntly, the younger boy freaked him out. He supposed it was the nature of all the odd things stacked in his favor. Born and raised in Wiltshire, where one would find Stonehenge and all the strange things that happened in its vicinity. A birthday on February the twenty-ninth, a day that didn't even _exist_ but once every four years… And his startling red-onyx eyes, which L often saw flashing a bloody crimson color as the boy stared into space above someone's head.

Yes, Beyond was strange, but he was also brilliant. He equaled Aisha in ability, and Mr. Wammy informed L in private that he would be second in line to take over if anything were to happen to L and Aisha. He had already explained logically how things would work. It was fairly obvious that L had the potential to be the greatest detective on the planet. That was a dangerous job, and if anything happened to him, he would need people to take his place.

"I don't want to work with people, though. People will slow me down." L said softly, when Mr. Wammy spoke to him about the possibilities.

Mr. Wammy stared at him. "I'm sure we can find a way to work around that."

L nodded. "I'd like that." He left the library, where they had been talking, and wandered in the direction of his room. The other children had learned, mostly, to leave him on his own. They didn't bother him when he was working, or anything else. As he passed by one of the windows in the hallway, he noticed a large cluster of children gathered on the front lawn, appearing to be staring up at something. Frowning, he wondered what it could be. Not a plane; enough planes flew by on a regular basis that something that simple would not be an object of fascination. A hot-air balloon, maybe? Or, recalling his research of Stonehenge, something as preposterous as a UFO?

Aisha came hurrying down the stairs, looking relieved as she saw L.

"Thank goodness!"

L blinked at her. "What's going on?"

Aisha sighed. "Ryuzaki was looking around the top floor, and found one of the windows that open over the roof. He's climbed up to sit on the railing of the tower." She looked exasperated, with the air of one who had spent a long time trying to convince the crazy boy to come down.

"How did he get all the way up there?" L asked, frowning.

"God only knows…" Aisha proceeded to murmur something inaudible in French, before beckoning. "Come on, I'll show you."

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As L followed her to the upper floors, he pondered Ryuzaki's behavior. Either climbing on roofs was a normal thing for him, or he was looking for attention. Aisha went into one of the bedrooms on the top floor and pointed at the window.

"That one. I've tried everything, but he won't come back in. Mr. Wammy and Roger will have a fit, if they haven't already." she sighed. "Someone will have to go get him." Aisha could be very motherly at times, wise beyond her eleven years.

L stared at her a long moment. "Roger will throw a fit. Mr. Wammy won't. I'll go get him." He moved to the window, easing out to perch on the roof just outside.

"Be careful, L!" Aisha cried. He nodded once, carefully climbing around where the window stuck out and moving higher. Being thin and light and spidery helped for such an endeavor. He glanced up, seeing Beyond's red eyes on him, and determinedly kept moving. When he reached the tower, he was met with a wide smile.

"You got up here!" Beyond chimed. He kicked his feet happily, pleased that L had gotten as high as him. "I didn't think anyone else would come out here, unless it was you."

"What are you doing out here?" L asked blandly, sounding disinterested. He really did want to know, but he would never show Beyond that.

Beyond turned bright red eyes on the space above his head again, before gazing up into the sky. He seemed lost in the clouds for a moment. L knew, somehow, that Beyond turned that ruby gaze on _him_ more often than anyone else. Still staring at the sky, Beyond muttered, "It helps me think… I like to look at the clouds… I don't have to think about what I can't see…"

"Can't see?" L asked. Beyond looked back at him, his eyes a normal color.

"Me, you, and the world." he said cryptically. The ten-year-old hopped down, landing next to L on the rooftop. "Let's go in."

They picked their way back down from the roof, to be greeted with a relieved Aisha upon coming back down. The incident went largely unnoticed until after dinner, when they were called into Roger's office to be lectured.

"Ryuzaki, that was a foolish and very dangerous thing to do!" Roger yelled. "If you had fallen, lord only knows what kind of condition you would be in now! And you are setting a bad example for the other children of this institute! We don't want them thinking they can go running about on rooftops!"

"I'm sorry…" Beyond said, a look of false sincerity plastered on his features. L knew it was fake, but it seemed to fool Roger. "It'll never happen again." L watched as the younger boy crossed his fingers behind his back. Roger seemed to accept the answer, shooing them from his office. Beyond scurried ahead of L down the hallway, turning to walk backwards facing him.

"Roger Ruvie…" he said, giggling. L blinked.

"How did you know that…?" he asked. No one had told Beyond what Roger's full name was… Had they?

"I see stuff." Beyond giggled once more. "I'm going to bed, L. Night!" He raced off, leaving L to stare at him in puzzlement. Beyond was annoying, not because of how he acted, but simply because he was something L could not figure out. Never had anyone been so completely confusing. It was irritating past the point of coherent description. L went back to his room, still thinking hard.

_"I see things"… What the heck is that supposed to mean?_

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So! I figure Beyond would be the type to go and climb on roofs and stuff. My description of Wammy's is based on the brief images you get in episodes 25 and 27, so I'm mostly making it up as I go. Hehe... O.o

Love and hugs!  
Li

P.S. Next chapter: Is it jam? Is it blood? We may never know...


	5. Twins?

Chapter Four: Twins?

Aisha was walking through the upper floors of the house, looking for one of the younger children. Roger wanted to see Guillermo, and he was nowhere to be found. She almost pitied the child his alias, but it was suitable for a child of Spanish nationality. Apparently the boy had been sent here after his parents had died, because he was gifted to his own degree, but now his uncle had come forward to adopt him. But first they needed to find him. No one had seen him in hours, and she assumed he was playing some kind of game and didn't realize that he was wanted.

She walked into one of the seldom-used playrooms, since there were others more towards the more populated areas of the house, and found him playing with action figures. She told him that Roger wanted to see him, and he scurried off eagerly. He'd get to be reunited with his family now. Aisha took a moment to reflect on her own parents. She wasn't an orphan, despite what many in the house believed, but an only child. Her parents had sent her to Wammy's in the hopes that she would get better schooling than was available where they lived. Her mother and father had known she was smart, and had been so proud when Mr. Wammy agreed to the arrangement.

She was happy here. She missed her parents, certainly, but she finally had other children her own age that she could really talk to. Not to mention L, whom she had adopted as a brother despite his attempts to distance himself from everyone. Her parents were coming this summer, and she wanted them to meet L.

Even though L would, although not out loud, throw a fit.

She walked back in the direction of her room, taking the long route down the front stairs and through the foyer. Guillermo was leaving with his uncle, and she took a moment to wave. He looked so happy. Following the hallway down towards the back stairs, she paused as her bare foot met something sticky. She glanced down, only to recoil in horror. Red liquid was dripped all over the hallway, and sticky red footprints trailed further down, in the direction of the stairs. Was someone hurt? Aisha raced forward, following the footprints up the stairs and through several more hallways. They ended at the closed door of one of the unoccupied bedrooms, and Aisha pushed the door open. Beyond sat, dressed in his typical black turtleneck shirt and jeans. But the jeans were streaked red, and a dark blotch stained the arm of the shirt.

"Ryuzaki, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Aisha asked worriedly. He turned around, his large red-onyx eyes innocent as he blinked at her. The biggest pot of strawberry jam she had ever seen was cradled carefully in one arm, and the fingers of his other hand were sticky red. He stuck them in his mouth, sucking the jam off before saying curiously, "I'm fine. Why?"

Aisha could only stare. Strawberry jam? Good lord. "Ryuzaki, how did you manage to trail jam all the way up here?"

"It spilled when I was trying to get the lid open, and I stepped in it by accident." Beyond replied. He put his thumb to his lips in imitation of L. "Am I in trouble?"

"No. I thought you were hurt!" Aisha explained. "You're covered in jam. Let me go find you some clean clothes." She left him seated on the floor, going down to the laundry room to see what she could find. They really all shared clothes amongst themselves, unless there was something particularly special that was personal. Aisha dug through the basket of clean clothes, finding nothing in Ryuzaki's size except for another pair of jeans and one of L's white shirts. L wouldn't mind. He was rather fond of Ryuzaki, from what she could see. She went back, snagging a washcloth along the way, and tossed him the washcloth. "Here. Get cleaned up and change. I'll tell Mr. Wammy what happened." He'd be less likely to react adversely than Roger.

Beyond put on the new jeans and the loose white shirt, wiping up the rest of the jam on the floor in that particular room. He left the jam jar where it was, deciding not to move it and risk spilling more. He padded down the hallway to return the washcloth, trekking through the foyer and stopping short at the front staircase.

It was really like looking in a mirror. L stared down at him, obsidian eyes wide, looking confused. Beyond stared back, equally puzzled, before L asked carefully, "Is that my shirt?"

"Aisha got it for me. Mine got jam on it." Beyond said. L looked like he wanted to ask, but shook his head. He wasn't even going to bother. He raised a hand to his lips, chewing the tip of his thumb, and Beyond grinned before mirroring him. L stopped, slowly lowering his hand before raising it straight up above his head. Beyond mimicked every move he made, and L smiled.

Soon it became a game, trying to make a motion too complicated for the other to follow exactly. As brilliant as they were, they could read each other well, practically knowing what move the other would make before it was done. When they finally dissolved into laughter, they noticed Aisha and Mr. Wammy standing in the doorway, watching. Mr. Wammy blinked as two near-identical sets of dark eyes turned to look. It was so strange how alike they looked. Like twins who weren't actually related.

"The jam has been cleaned up, Ryuzaki. Next time, try not to make such a mess." Mr. Wammy never scolded, or questioned any of the odd things the children did. A teasing reprimand was the most that they ever got. Beyond nodded, truthfully this time, and grinned.

"Sorry."

Late that night, after the house had gone to sleep, L found himself perched on the roof, sitting inside the tower. Beyond was right. It was an excellent place to sit and think. He thought about the mirror game that afternoon, and the fact that he had actually been having fun, probably for the first time. He had tried to distance himself, but Aisha and Beyond had somehow become irreversibly added into his life. Was this what having siblings and family felt like? Mr. Wammy was like a father to him, but other children… Other children had always been terrible to him.

He stood up, standing on the rooftop and looking into the distance for a moment. The world, one of the things Beyond said he couldn't see. What did he, the world, and Beyond have in common? He went back inside, ceasing thought for the moment. He'd figure it out tomorrow.

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Hehe… Jam. I love this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write. Has anyone other than me noticed that Beyond eats strawberry jam, and the fruit we see L most often with is a strawberry? Another connection. :)

Guillermo is Spanish for William, according to Aki. I asked for a name, any name, and that's what she gave me. Go figure.

So the bad news is that they have blocked this website on my school laptop, so I can pretty much read and look at reviews. None of the update controls work on the proxy I have to use. So the good news, for you all at least, is that you'll get chapters in groups now. The better news is that I got to read Another Note and How to Read 13! Bwahahahahaha! I was a happy, happy fangirl. Beyond is so much fun. Although, I'm wrong, because it clearly says that A "took _his_ own life". Screw them. I happen to be fond of Aisha, even knowing what has to happen. In any case… There is too much in Another Note left unsaid. It answered many questions, (and shed doubt on many other things) but many events are mentioned and not explained. (It's all Mello's fault.) So I can say now that this story isn't factually correct. It stands as the prequel to Cor, which was mostly AU, and this will be mostly AU as well.

(pets chibi L and Beyond) Four chapters till the next of our Wammy kids shows up. Any guesses who?

Li


	6. L'amour pour une maison

Chapter Five: L'amour Pour Une Maison

Wammy's House is truly a wonderful place to live. _La maison est où le coeur est. _Home is where the heart is, and my heart belongs here. I have everything I've ever wanted.

I grew up in rural France, with the closest neighbors being two miles away. I was bright as a child, and my parents always tried to get me the best schooling. The little school that I attended was honestly not to my level at all, and my parents worked for years to scrape together the money to send me to England.

When I arrived at the Wammy's House, I didn't speak any English. The only person who could understand me was L. L took the time to teach me English, explaining that he hadn't spoken it when he arrived either. He was the original orphan, Mr. Wammy's adopted son. He never told anyone his name, but I found at least one fake one in his room once, by accident. I was intrigued by the name, but he told me that that particular name was what he had gone by at that other orphanage. He rarely spoke of that place, and from his omission of it, I gathered that he didn't have a pleasant experience there.

L is my brother, whether he likes it or not. He's the closest to a sibling I've ever had, and I think he feels the same, even if he would never admit it out loud. He's by far smarter than me, though. I have to work almost twice as hard as him to match him, and I'm the closest in the entire house to his level of ability. It's a lot of pressure, to be his… well, there's really no other word for it but 'successor'. I'm the successor to his position. A is for 'alternate'. A is for 'Alter', the name that was almost mine, if not for L.

Ryuzaki as well, holds a soft spot in my heart. He's such a strange little thing, cryptic and teasing. I think even L is fond of him, silly child. Who in their right mind eats jam straight out of the jar with their hands? That first time, I honestly thought he was bleeding to death. And in L's shirt, they look just the same. If I didn't know better, I would never be able to believe that they're not twins.

Yet somehow, there's something disturbing about Ryuzaki as well. His eyes glow ruby sometimes, when he's staring off into space above someone's head. I think L's seen it too, but we don't have an explanation for it. It mostly occurs when he's staring at L. He also speaks very vaguely at times, such as when you inquire about the phenomenon of his eyes. He told L that he "sees" stuff, and that the only things he can't "see" are himself, L, and the world. One day, I asked him if there was anything he knew that we didn't. He laughed, and said with a big, mysterious grin, "I know what happens when the number hits 'zero'." I asked him what number he was talking about, and he only laughed and scurried off.

Sometimes he worries me. Death seems to fascinate him sometimes. One of the children was badly ill once, and he hung around outside the door, staring. When Roger asked what he was doing, he said only that the child wouldn't die, and left without another word. The boy got better, but we've never been quite sure of the certainty with which Ryuzaki proclaimed his health. It's disconcerting. Maybe it's his 'ability', as L would put it. But I think it's creepy. It's been about four years, and he's still as strange as ever. He idolizes L beyond belief.

I'm still working to keep up with L, and it's getting ever harder. He's just so far above everyone else. The pressure's just so much… I feel like I'm expected to be perfect, all the time. But L's always there for me when I need him. If I didn't have him, I don't know what I'd do.


	7. Before Birth

Chapter Six: Before Birth

Everybody thinks I'm weird. Creepy, creepy little 'Ryuzaki'. They can't even call me by my real name, thanks to the stupid rules of this place. If I don't want an alias, I shouldn't have to have one. Beyond Birthday suits me just fine as a name. Not grammatically correct, not even truthfully correct, but the only name I ever really wanted to be called by. All this talk of 'Ryuzaki', that's not me.

At least I have L and Aisha. Aisha thinks I'm weird, but at least she doesn't avoid me like the plague. Really, what did I ever do? Aisha just thinks I'm strange, but not scary. Aisha… ha. That's not even her real name. I know everyone's name, except…

I see names. I've always been able to see names, since the day I was born. Even when I didn't know how to read them, they were there. The same with the numbers. I knew how to read the numbers, even though they didn't seem to be anything that any _human_ would come up with. It took a long time to figure out what they meant, though. My grandpa died when I was six, and I finally realized that the numbers counted down. Grandpa's number hit 'zero', and he died. Apparently zero is the same no matter what language you speak. I could always tell, after that. I knew that my parents were going to die just before I turned ten. The numbers never lied to me. I told them not to go, but they said they were just going to drive to the store, and they'd be home in half an hour. Fifteen minutes later, some lady came to get me, because my parents had died in a car wreck.

Wammy's House was a thrill for me. In a house where everyone went by aliases, knowing everyone's real name was a special pleasure. Throwing out tidbits of knowledge for L to follow around in circles, knowing that he'd never guess the truth of what I could do. But L… He's the only one whose name I can't see. I can't see my own, and I don't know when the world will die, but why is he the only exception to my vision? It's irritating past human comprehension! L, the enigma. L, the leader. What am I?

B. B is for "backup". B is for the backup they will need if the original and the alternate fall. But… that's actually okay. I'm really okay with it. Not knowing L's name bugs me, but he's interesting to talk to. He's a good… friend? I guess I'm like him in that regard too. I've never had 'friends', so I don't know what it's like. But somehow, I get the sense that things are going to go downhill very fast.

The numbers never lie, after all…

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I just wanted to do some perspective for Aisha and Beyond's thoughts, since for all practical purposes no one really knows a lot about them. L says in Another Note that he never met B personally, but he lies A LOT. That could just be another lie.

Three chapters for you, because I don't know when I'll get to update next.

Love!  
Li


	8. Departure

Chapter Seven: Departure

L had fun when he was with Aisha and Beyond. That much he knew for certain. It was some time in the middle of the party they were throwing for him, and he and Beyond were hiding in one of the upper rooms, dancing. Music played on a CD player they had taken from one of the playrooms, and they ignored the outside world just for a time.

April 19, 1994. L and Aisha were fifteen, and Beyond was fourteen. During the four years they had known each other, they had grown very close. L often found himself wondering how he had ever existed in that other orphanage, without human company.

As things stood, he did not want to go down to the party they were throwing him. Yes, he was leaving, but he didn't see it as something to commemorate. It was simply because he could not do the work he needed to from Wammy's House. So he was leaving with Mr. Wammy, who had taken the alias of Watari, and heading for a new location. Classified, of course. For now, however, he was content to stay in this room and dance with his mirror, belting out the lyrics to the rock songs.

_I am a world before I am a man…  
__I was a creature before I could stand…  
__I will remember before I forget…_

They sang along to Slipknot's "Before I Forget", laughing the entire time. They attempted to copy each other's moves, as was normal, until they finally exhausted themselves. Beyond reached to turn the music down as L sprawled on the bed, too tired to attempt his normal position.

"Hey, L." Beyond asked suddenly.

"Hunh?" L responded, tilting his head to look at the younger boy.

"Are you afraid of anything?" Beyond asked, flopping down next to him. "Anything at all?"

L considered the question for a moment. "I am afraid to fail when others need me. I'm afraid of being unable to help someone I care about. I am afraid to lose things that I hold dear." His words were quiet and concise, and Beyond considered them for a moment before asking something else.

"Why are you leaving?"

L actually sat up to look at him. "Because I am the greatest detective on the planet. I can't keep working from here. Interpol needs me."

"Do you want to leave?"

"It doesn't matter, Beyond. It's what the world wants."

"Who the hell cares about what the world wants?" Beyond said grumpily. "I want you to stay. So does Aisha."

L smiled sadly. "Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I'm sorry, Beyond."

Beyond scowled, rolling over and crushing his face into a pillow. The door opened, revealing Aisha smiling at them from the hallway.

"Mr. Wammy wants to know where the guest of honor and his twin are." she said, amused. L frowned to match Beyond, stating sullenly, "I'm not going down there. I don't know half the kids here." Not the ones his own age, at least. The younger ones were nice enough.

"L, that doesn't matter. It would make them happy. They respect you." Aisha attempted, knowing it was in vain.

"Not going." he insisted stubbornly. Aisha sighed. It was no good trying to make L do anything that he didn't want to.

Beyond rolled over, grinning widely. "Stay here, A!" he said, reverting to initials. "We can have our own party! We've got music!"

Aisha laughed. "All right, all right. As you command, O almighty Ryuzaki." She walked over to sit with them, poking L in the side. "What do you say, L? Dance with me?"

L blinked at her. "Okay…"

Beyond scampered to the CD player, turning on "Stricken" by the band Disturbed. It started up, and Aisha dragged L out into the middle of the room. It took a while for L to get into the music, but eventually they were laughing and twirling easily around the room.

Three hours later, when the party was safely over downstairs, they crept out of their hiding place to go to bed. L maneuvered quietly down the hallway, opening the door to his room almost soundlessly, and slipped inside. Watari was sitting on his bed, one eyebrow raised.

"Exactly what I expected from you, L." he said wryly. L smiled, hopping up to sit next to his mentor, hands on his knees. Watari laughed quietly. "I should have known you'd refuse to come to a party. Judging by who was missing, you and Aisha and Ryuzaki had your own celebration."

L nodded. "I'd rather spend time with them than at some party." He gnawed at his thumbnail, adding, "Most of them don't know me anyway."

Watari nodded in understanding. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. I packed earlier. We're going to L.A.?"

"That's right. Los Angeles is a fairly large city. It will be a good experience for you." Watari stood, ruffling L's raven hair. "Get some sleep, if you can. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

"Ryuzaki's going to be upset…" L muttered as Watari left the room. He decided to try to fall asleep, knowing that it would be impossible for him to sleep on the plane.

The next morning, after tearful hugs from Aisha and a hug that seemed more like a tackle from Beyond, they managed to leave Wammy's House without much incident. L found himself gazing out the window on the plane, watching the clouds go by and contemplating the life he had chosen for himself. He didn't know if it was the right choice, but now, there was no turning back.

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Before I Forget is a cool song. :P


	9. Criminal Beginnings and Gods of Death

Chapter Eight: Criminal Beginnings and Gods of Death

L typed away frantically on his computer.

"Did you get him?" he asked into the microphone. An affirmative response came back, and L smiled triumphantly. After weeks of chasing, they had organized the perfect plan to catch the person known only as the L.A. Hacker. He had scrambled so many bank computer systems, it was amazing. The level of skill that the person possessed was incredible. L himself was puzzled by only one element of the case: the fact that the thief in question never took more than a few hundred dollars at a time. He assumed that if one had the skill to pull off such an elaborate computer scheme, millions of dollars, if not billions, would be involved. But after weeks of rebounding signals, tracing ghost files, and being led in circles, they had cracked the code and figured out where the person lived.

L hopped out of his chair. He was intending to go to the scene of this crime himself. He wore a mask, a plain black mask leaving only his bottomless eyes visible, but it was only at Watari's request. L himself really wasn't worried. After all, he could always lie about who he was, as usual.

When he entered the small house in the wake of the police break-in, he was surprised. This was not what he had expected at all. A seemingly decrepit house, practically falling apart at the seams. He followed the officer in charge upstairs, seeing the redheaded man cuffed in one of the upstairs rooms.

L knelt to look him in the eyes, through his mask. "My name is Luke." he lied easily. "I'm the assistant to the detective in charge of this case, L. What is your name?"

"Ethan Jeevas." the man replied. He looked up at L with pleading eyes. "You don't understand! I didn't have a choice, and I didn't hurt anyone! It was only a few hundred dollars, nothing huge!"

"That is one of the things L told me to ask about." L said. "Why take such a small amount, when you could have taken thousands or millions?"

"I only wanted enough to get by." Ethan said sadly. "My wife died two months ago, and directly after that I lost my job. We were desperate. I have a four-year-old, and I have to take care of him. I wasn't out for personal gain."

"You realize that you will go to jail for grand larceny. What will become of your four-year-old then?"

The man cringed. "Can't you do something? Anything?"

L thought for a moment. "I may have a solution, but I'll need to see him."

The redheaded child was awake in the other room, his hair the exact same flaming shade as his father. He looked up at L with large emerald eyes, blinking.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Who're you?"

"I am a 'friend' of your father's. What's your name?"

The child smiled. "Mail." He was wearing striped pajamas. "My daddy's a genius. He works on computers."

L couldn't help but grin. "Your daddy has to go on a trip, and he's asked me to take you to a special school. Is that okay, Mail? We're going to visit England."

"Cool!" Mail chirped. L nodded, telling him goodbye, and went to explain the details to Ethan Jeevas.

"Your son will return with me to England. There is an orphanage there that doubles as a school for the gifted. I think he'll be very happy there. There are many children both his age and older, and I think he will learn a lot while he's there. You may return to retrieve him, if you wish, after your time in prison."

After L was finished explaining, Ethan could only thank him. All he wanted was for his son to have a good life. If he had to go to jail for it, so be it.

XxX

Three days later, L and Watari were on a plane back to England, both to visit the children of Wammy's House and to settle in the squirming child sitting between them. He kept trying to climb over L to look out the window. L finally gave in, letting the boy sit on his lap, though he looked distinctly uncomfortable. But as he looked at Watari, he cracked a smile. His first truly challenging case, barely a week after he turned sixteen. He felt like the luckiest teenager alive.

At Wammy's House, Beyond Birthday was seated in his favorite place: the roof. He lay stretched out in the sun, reading a book of Japanese mythology. Aisha had given it to him a few days ago, telling him that he would probably find it interesting. He was on the chapter about the different kinds of _kami_, when he noticed a familiar black car pull up in the drive. Could it be…?

L had been gone nearly six and a half months, without so much as a phone call. But as Beyond watched the car door open and his twin slip out of the back seat, it was all the confirmation he needed.

"AISHA!!" He scrambled back down the roof at speeds that were definitely unsafe, climbing back in the window and sprinting for the older girl's room. "Aisha, L's back!"

"Really?" She stuck her head out the door hopefully.

"Yeah, I just saw the car pull up! Come on!"

They raced down the stairs, reaching the foyer just as the front door opened. Watari came first, L following behind holding the hand of a redheaded boy of no more than four.

"L!"

L released the child's hand to hug them both, smiling.

"Hi. I'm guessing you missed me?"

"Only a lot!" Aisha scolded. "Call next time!" She looked to the little boy, asking then, "Who is he?"

"This is Matt. He's going to be going to school here as well. His father is in jail for grand larceny and computer hacking." L explained. Beyond peered at the child, his eyes glowing red. _Mail Jeevas_. He wasn't 'Matt', then. That was the alias that L and Watari had decided on. He grinned to himself. Oh the privileges of his sight.

"Aisha." Watari asked. "Would you please find Matt a room while I fill out the paperwork? Ask one of the caretakers to help you."

Aisha nodded, and both left to their respective tasks, leaving L and Beyond standing around. Beyond grinned.

"I wanna show you something!"

He led L back to the roof, where he had left his book of Japanese mythology. He held it up proudly, before flicking to a certain page.

"I'm reading about Japanese death gods – Shinigami! Look, L!" He held up the book, where there were several sketches of what Shinigami might look like. L looked carefully, noting that a defining feature on many was a set of piercing red eyes. He looked from the book to Beyond's red-onyx eyes, silently contemplating.

Shinigami eyes…?

"That's really interesting, Beyond. Tell me about what else has been happening around here." He sat down on the roof beside Beyond, and listened as the younger eagerly began recounting stories of things that had happened. The eyes of a Death God… Nah. Shinigami didn't exist. Everyone knew that.

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So, yeah. L's first experience with Shinigami eyes. Two more chapters to go!


	10. The Opposite of Chaotic

Chapter Nine: The Opposite of "Chaotic"

Three years passed without much incident. Matt grew up to be a fairly normal seven-year-old, albeit addicted to video games. He played like he lived there instead of the real world at times. Aisha and Beyond had teamed up to get him a Game Boy for his sixth birthday, and he rarely went anywhere without it. He was turning out to have quite a talent for computers, just like his father. It was also revealed that, while his IQ was advanced, he had better abilities with people. As L, and now Aisha, would put it, it was his 'talent'. He could read people better than most of the grown-ups at the house.

L visited many times over the course of the years. His reputation was growing, and now at eighteen, soon to be nineteen in October, he already could practically make Interpol bow to him with a word. Aisha enjoyed fantasizing the looks on all the older police officers' faces if they were to ever find out that they were under the command of a teenaged genius. Probably indignation and disbelief. Pompous bastards.

Mello was the newest child at the house. He was originally from one of the Slavic countries, and spoke very little English when he arrived. But he'd been put in a room with Matt, and the redhead had been teaching him English. He picked it up as quickly as any other child in the house, proving his intelligence. He was eight years old, though only a few months older than Matt, and soon gained a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker. Linda, another new child, did not get along well with him at all. She was an artist, and he liked to smear her pictures, just to annoy her.

He and Matt were soon a duo, hardly ever seen without each other. L had spoken to Mello fairly often, considering the boy just behind Beyond. They were mostly equal, but Beyond of course was older and had more experience. But L and Watari were probably the only two that Mello had any respect for. He ignored Roger, broke rules, broke curfew… Anything that he could possibly do, he did. Usually with a chocolate bar hanging from his mouth. That was L's fault. He had given Mello chocolate, explaining in Slovenian what it was since the blond boy had never had it before. Mello had taken an immediate liking to it. While he wasn't as extreme as L, and would still eat normal food, he still couldn't go more than about four hours without some form of chocolate.

He also got along well with Beyond, oddly enough. Like Aisha, he seemed not to care about some of Beyond's creepier quirks. Beyond had been studying Slovenian as one of his languages as well, and when L wasn't around it was comforting to have someone to talk to in his native language.

_**"So those times when you disappear, where do you go, Ryuzaki?"**_ Mello asked in Slovenian. They were playing cards. Beyond liked chess better, especially against L, but Mello had no talent for the game at all. Beyond dealt for Hearts, grinning.

_**"The roof. It's my spot."**_

_**"The roof?! Really?"**_

Beyond could see Mello's adventurous streak shining through in his cerulean eyes. He frowned good-naturedly. _**"Don't even think about it. That's mine and L's."**_ It had been his and L's since that day so long ago when L had come to retrieve him. Mello pouted, denied a chance to explore somewhere he hadn't been yet. Beyond smiled. Mihael Keehl reminded him of himself.

Mello changed the subject. _**"That was a really good prank the other day. Although, Aisha was mad."**_

_**"We dyed all the milk in the House yellow. They thought it had gone bad."**_ Beyond chuckled. "_**And then you walked in and drank it…"**_

_**"Aisha got SO upset with us. Is that what having a mother is really like?"**_ It had been a good-natured kind of upset. Mello's mother hadn't liked him at all. She had been an alcoholic, and Mello's attitude at such a young age was from having to stand up to her so often.

_**"Yeah, I suppose. She's not old enough to be our mother. More like a big sister."**_ Beyond said thoughtfully. He took the last hand of cards, and began to tally the points. It was twenty six to fifteen, Beyond's favor.

_**"Does that make you me and Matt's big brother, Ryuzaki?"**_ Mello asked.

Beyond thought a moment. _**"Yeah, I suppose it does."**_ He turned eighteen in February, four months after L turned nineteen. Mello would turn nine in December. Almost ten years between them, and yet they stood on nearly the same level. It was remarkable.

"Slovenian is odd to speak for long periods." he said then.

Mello grinned. "English can be strange too, Ryuzaki!"

XxX

Aisha was working. She was going over pages of another case that Watari had sent her to practice on. Rubbing her temples in frustration, she sighed. This was a hard one. Dead ends and conflicting evidence all around. The answer sat tauntingly in its' little envelope on her desk, but she refused to touch it. If she couldn't do it on her own, she would never be as good as L. Never.

Matt poked his head in the door.

"Aisha? Do you wanna come play Mario Kart with me?" he asked. "Mello's playing cards with Ryuzaki, and nobody else wants to play."

Aisha turned, smiling tiredly at him. "I'm sorry, Matty. I have to finish this." She glanced at the papers. "It's hard."

Matt held out a hand, offering a hard candy. "It helps L." he said innocently. Aisha laughed, taking the candy from him.

"So it does. Thank you, Matt." She leaned down and kissed the eight-year-old on the forehead. "I'll try and finish quick so I can play with you, all right?"

"Yay!" Matt cheered. He scurried from the room to go set up his game. Aisha sighed. She wanted to play, really, but this needed her undivided attention. Keeping up with L was important. She was his successor. She couldn't fail.

She unwrapped the cinnamon-flavored hard candy, slipping it into her mouth. The sharp taste seemed to wake her up a bit, and she turned back to the case with new enthusiasm.

_Thank you, Matt…_

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And the first indication that something's wrong with Aisha...


	11. Completing the Family

Chapter Ten: Completing the Family

L bent over his computer, typing up the report on the case he had just finished. An intricate drug ring in New York City had been operating underground for months, and they had been requesting his help to solve it. He had accepted, mostly because of the complicatedness of the clues. It was intriguing. They had finally learned enough to go in and catch the crooks red-handed. The police had performed admirably.

L frowned, continuing the report.

_March 10, 1998 – Police went into a warehouse on the shores of Manhattan. All suspects apprehended. One attempted to break and run, but was caught shortly after. Fatalities: One_

L paused again, sighing. One suspect had attempted to make a run for it, and one of the officers had gone after him. The suspect still had one bullet left in his gun, and had shot the officer dead. L picked up the file on the man. Captain John River. It was terrible that he had been killed. He was a single father, with one son. His son was brilliant, and L had given word for him to be sent to stay at Wammy's until L could come and speak to him. He was getting on a plane to England the next morning, so the report had to be done before tonight. He was going to attempt to sleep, even though it wouldn't really do much good. He bent back to his task, determined not to think of anything else until he finished.

XxX

"Hey, you."

The boy dressed in white pajamas pointedly ignored the prodding voice, choosing instead to continue building a castle out of blocks. Mello stared at him a moment, then tried again. "Hey, your name's Near, right? Are you seven?"

"Yes." One word to answer both questions. Near continued stacking blocks, oblivious to Mello's fuming.

"That's a stupid name. You're never near anyone! The three days you've been here, you've hidden in this stupid playroom!" Mello blustered. "Do you think you're too great to associate with the rest of us, or something?!"

"No…" Near said quietly. Mello growled something that sounded like 'you're boring!' before leaving him alone, finally. Near sighed in relief, before glancing out the window. A long black car had pulled into the driveway. It was the same kind of car that had brought the men that told him his father was killed. Near scrambled to his feet, stumbling down the hallway, tripping over his oversized pajamas. He couldn't face that again. Hurrying into the library, he took refuge behind some of the stacks in the back. It was a completely illogical action, and he knew it, but he did it anyway. Maybe they would just go away.

XxX

When L opened the front doors of Wammy's House he was immediately assaulted. Beyond Birthday took a spectacular flying leap off the stairs and landed squarely on him, the biggest grin ever plastered on his face.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou…"

L managed to right himself, carefully disentangling Beyond from him. "What?"

"Thank you for the manga!"

Oh. L had gotten him a thirteen-volume set of manga for his skipped birthday. Two more years and they would actually be able to celebrate, but for other years, they celebrated February 28.

"That was the greatest thing I've ever read! I couldn't put it down!"

"I'm glad you liked it." L said, smiling. "Where's Aisha?"

"She's in the other room reading to some of the younger kids." Beyond said. He led L further into the house, where they found Aisha reading from a picture book, seated in Watari's favorite rocking chair. She stood up and embraced him, asking eagerly how he was as the younger children stared at him in awe. L could tell that she was more than happy to see him.

"I'm fine, Aisha." he said, hugging her. Stepping back, he asked, "Do you know where the new boy is?" He wouldn't use his real name, and he didn't know what the boy had been called. Aisha tilted her head, thinking.

"The one with white hair? I think I saw him near the library earlier. Are you going to go talk to him?" she asked. L nodded.

When Near heard the library door open, he shuffled further behind the books, trying to be invisible. Soft footstep sounded, getting closer, and Near saw a pair of bare feet below a bookshelf. The feet rounded the shelf, picking between stacks of books until the owner could crouch down a look Near in the eyes.

"Nate?" the young man said softly, and Near blinked. It was the first time anyone had used his real name since he arrived. The dark-haired man smiled, saying then, "I thought I'd find you here. I'd hide back here when I was young."

"Who are you?" Near asked quietly. L's smile got bigger.

He held up his right thumb and forefinger, forming an L in the air. "Who do you think I am?"

"L?" Near asked. "Daddy worked for you…"

"Yes." Smart child, indeed. L rocked on his feet for a moment, before saying slowly, "Nate, your father was a good man, and an amazing police officer. I regret deeply what happened to him."

Near sniffed sadly, his wide onyx eyes filling with tears. "Daddy…" L leaned forward and hugged him, letting Near cry. From what the other children had been saying, Near didn't show any emotion around them. This was probably good for him. He let Near cling to his shirt, picking up the white-haired boy and holding him tightly.

"Shh…" he whispered. Children weren't his thing, but apparently he was doing an okay job, because Near slowly calmed down, his head on L's shoulder, one small hand clutching at L's white shirt. "It's okay, Near. You have us, now. Me, and Beyond, and Aisha. Mello and Matt and all the other children. It's okay."

Near nodded, blinking to rid himself of the rest of the tears. Everything would be okay now. He wouldn't be alone anymore. L was certain that being around other children would be good for him, maybe even get him to open up. The child was so much like L that it was almost unnerving. Black and white. Maybe fate had intervened, because from what L knew of Near's ability, the boy might even be better than him.

Only time would tell.

DNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDNDN

So I decided to put all four of these up at once, as they signify the end of the 'meeting' part. Everyone's here, so now we can move into the next act. Also known as the L.A.B.B case, and all the stuff leading up to it. Sad, but inevitable. Thank you all for being so patient with me. My computer situation, flatly, sucks.

Love and hugs to all my readers!  
Li


	12. Everything Changes

Chapter Eleven: Everything Changes

Beyond knew there was something wrong with Aisha.

It wasn't that she was sick, per say, but she was just… different. More tired. More irritable if met in the wrong mood. She smiled less and less as time went on, and a majority of the smiles she did show were faked. Beyond couldn't place a reason to it, but he could tell it was serious.

He tried to talk to Roger about it, but Aisha put up such a good act that the older man couldn't tell. Beyond tried to convince him that she was faking, but was unable to explain why without revealing the secret of his sight. The number was getting smaller. Just by a few years or so, but it had gotten smaller. He wasn't perfect at reading them yet, so he didn't know how much of an impact it had actually made. But over the year or so it had been since Near joined them in the house, it had definitely decreased.

He couldn't place when it had begun, but it was sometime around when L had left the house. It was no longer a friendly competition between them at that point. L was the greatest detective on earth… and Aisha was left behind.

Beyond eventually stopped looking at the numbers. He ignored everyone's name and lifespan, and pretended to have normal vision, just for a while. He talked to Aisha, played games with Mello and Matt, and occasionally watched Near do a puzzle. And all the while, he pointedly ignored the looming feeling of _wrong_ hovering over the house.

xXx

He was playing Chinese checkers with Aisha one night, her favorite game. Sometime during the second half of the game, he finally looked up at her.

"Aisha…" he started, hesitantly, looking away from the board. She glanced up at him, blinking puzzled amber eyes.

"What is it, Ryuzaki?"

He was silent a long moment. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?" Aisha gave him a dazzling faked smile. "I'm fine, Ryu. Don't worry."

"No, you're faking. You've been faking for a while now. You might fool Roger, but you can't fool me or the younger ones. Matt noticed first, then Near. What's wrong, Aisha?"

The smile vanished, as Aisha looked back at the board. "It's nothing, Ryuzaki. Really." She made a move, getting another of her pieces into the triangle goal, and sighed. "I miss L."

"So do I, but it's something more than that." He jumped a few of her pieces, getting closer to his side of the board.

"Don't worry about me, Ryu. You've known me forever; you should know that everything will be all right."

Beyond didn't buy that answer for a minute, but decided to let the subject drop. They played for another few minutes, before Beyond shifted his last piece in to fill the triangle. Aisha smiled, beginning to pick up the marbles as she said, "You win. I owe you a bag of candy, Ryu."

"Yeah…" Beyond glanced at the clock. "It's late, A. We should go to bed."

Aisha nodded in agreement, promising to get him his candy the next day. They parted ways, and Beyond went to his own room. The nineteen-year-old glanced over at the calendar, where June of 1999 was displayed in all of its summery glory. He scowled. Even if A wouldn't talk to him, he would do his best to get to the bottom of the situation, just like L would. Of course, Aisha would probably talk to her "brother". Beyond threw on pajamas. He would figure this out before L came back, whenever that would be, and would have something to show him; something he'd worked out on his own. Perfect.

xXx

The next morning, Beyond found a bag of candy on his plate when he went to breakfast. He looked down the table, and Aisha smiled at him from her seat. Beyond grinned, looking at the strawberry-filled hard candies. His favorite. He tucked the bag away next to him in his chair, turning on his breakfast with a ravenous expression. French toast at Wammy's House was the best French toast in the world. Even the French themselves couldn't top it.

After breakfast, he didn't see Aisha again until almost lunch. The mail had come in that time, with several children receiving messages from friends or family. A few of the children were here as a sort of boarding school, and they were not told of the House's connection to the world-famous L, who had Interpol at his beck and call. Really, the ICPO worked for L, not the other way around. Anyway, Beyond remembered Aisha getting a few letters during the time he had known her, but as he came across her stumbling down the hall to her room, a sheet of paper clutched in one hand, he knew something was up.

"Aisha?" She paused at the sound of his voice, and he walked forward cautiously. "What's the matter, A? Are you all right?"

"I'm… okay… Ryuzaki…" A beautiful lie; she obviously wasn't. He walked over, looking at her questioningly until she shoved the letter at him. "Read it!"

Beyond scanned the letter carefully, the point finally jumping out at him. "_Your parents were killed in a car wreck…_ Oh, god, A, I'm sorry." He handed her back the letter, asking again, "Are you okay?"

She took a deep breath, wiping at the tear tracks on her face. "Yeah… I just… I need some time alone… To grieve for them…" She smiled faintly at him. "I'll be okay, Ryuzaki…"

Beyond nodded, but something was telling him, something in his gut, that he should not agree. Aisha turned to go back to her room, muttering something under her breath, and Beyond couldn't help but glance at the numbers above her head. They looked awfully small to him. Of course, his ability to read them wasn't perfect, and there was always the possibility that he had looked at it wrong. But if he was right, and they were that small… That meant…

That everything she had said was just another sweet lie.

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Sorry that this took so long. I'm putting off chapter 12 as long as possible, because I _really _don't want to write it. I'm sure you can guess why. But I'll probably go back and do it tonight, just so that I can get on with the rest of the LABB case. In any case, I feel horrible for Aisha at this point.

O.o

Nothing much more to say, really. Hugs!  
Li


	13. How to Save a Life

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night… Had I known how to save a life…_

Chapter Twelve: How to Save a Life

Beyond was on the roof. Again. He used it as a place to think, away from the clamor of other children. For now, he thought of Aisha. Ever since he'd left her in the hallway forty-five minutes ago, he had been thinking.

Aisha was his sister, the closest thing to a real sibling he'd ever had in his life. She and L were the most important people he could think of. Back in Wiltshire, before he'd come to Wammy's, people had been afraid of him. They called him a devil-child and avoided him. And while he did have a strange gift of seeing death, that wasn't why they feared him. They simply feared him for the _color_ of his eyes. Yes, dark red was not a normal eye color, nor was the bloody crimson color they were inclined to turn when he actually focused his sight, but that was no reason to treat him like an outcast. Oh, if they had known what he was _really_ capable of!

But when he had arrived here, Wammy's House, L and Aisha hadn't been put off by his arrival. And Mello… Matt… Near… Mihael and Mail and Nate had accepted him just as easily. They weren't scared of him. They didn't shun him or treat him like an outcast. They cared about him, like no one since his parents had done.

And now it was his turn to care about Aisha. There was something wrong with the older girl, and even if she didn't want to share, she obviously needed to. All the emotional distress would eventually hurt her. If she wouldn't talk to Roger, then she would just have to talk to him.

With his mind made up, Beyond carefully climbed back down to his window, slipping back into the unused bedroom that he used as a gateway to the roof. He moved quickly back down the hall, down a flight of stairs, and stopped in front of the doorway to Aisha's room. He knocked quietly. "Aisha?"

No response.

"A, are you in there?"

Still nothing. Beyond stared at the door, puzzled, then tried the doorknob. It was locked. "Aisha, I'm coming in." He pulled a bobby pin out of his pocket, and set about picking the lock. It was something all of them had been taught, at one time or another. It took him about thirty seconds to get the door open, and then he paused.

Aisha was asleep, apparently. Beyond crept in, pausing beside her bed and looking down. He really hated to wake her up, but she had to talk to someone about what was bothering her. "Aisha? Aisha, wake up."

She didn't stir. Beyond frowned, then reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder. He shook her slightly. "A? C'mon, A, get up. Don't make me pull you out of bed." He reached for her hand, but almost immediately let go. Her hand was unnaturally cold. "A?" His voice shook slightly. He felt sick. "A, this isn't funny. Get up. Please…"

When there was no response, Beyond stepped back. "A…" He felt ill, but instead gathered his remaining willpower and focused his sight. Shaking, he looked into the space above Aisha's head. There was nothing. Like when his grandfather had died. Just like when his parents had died…

"NO!" He grabbed Aisha's hand. "Aisha, wake up, please wake up! A!" He blinked away tears, uncaring that his voice had reached the volume of yelling. "A, don't leave! Don't leave, damn it!" He thought of her real name, the name he'd never gotten to call her, and his voice fell to a whisper. "Arianna, Arianna…"

"Ryuzaki?"

Beyond turned around, seeing Matt standing in the doorway. The red-headed nine-year-old was clutching his Gameboy, looking confused. Beyond took a deep breath, swallowing the remainder of his tears.

"Matt… Go get Roger, please…" he asked softly. Matt nodded, sensing the urgency in Beyond's tone, and ran off. Beyond dragged his eyes away from Aisha, looking instead around the room. His eyes fell on the bedside table, where a folded piece of paper and an empty pill bottle were sitting. He picked up the paper, reading to himself: _Dear L, Ryuzaki, Mel, Matty, and Near…_

He crumpled the paper, stuffing it into his pocket. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want Roger to see it. It wasn't for his eyes. He slumped back against the bed, staring at the floor, and waited for Roger to arrive.

xXx

Roger had taken one look and had immediately shooed Matt from the room when he returned. He asked Beyond all kinds of questions, and finally took him back to the office. After calling Mello, Matt, and Near, he explained the situation as calmly as possible. Aisha had committed suicide, using an overdose of sleeping pills. There was no real indication why, but they were going to try to find out.

Mello had been angry. Matt had stood to the side, looking numb. And Near had begun to cry, refusing comfort from anyone. The boy fled the room, leaving Beyond to go sit with Mello and Matt in one of the empty playrooms. Mello had finally started crying when they were out of Roger's sight, and Beyond hugged him and did his best to be comforting. Matt sat at the opposite end of the sofa, still playing his game but looking crushingly sad, obviously trying to escape to another world. After about ten minutes, Near walked in, still crying, and curled up in an armchair without speaking.

Two hours later, none of them had moved. The door to the playroom opened slowly, and L looked in worriedly. He stepped into the room, taking in the situation. Mello had cried himself to sleep, his head resting in Beyond's lap. L walked to Matt, giving the gamer a hug. He squeezed Beyond's hand comfortingly, and then walked over to Near. The youngest had stopped crying, but still refused to speak. L picked him up, moving to sit next to Beyond and holding Near tightly. Matt came over to sit on L's other side, and none of them spoke for a long time.

Finally, Beyond asked, "How did you get here so fast?"

L sighed. "I was on my way back when Roger called Watari. I was supposed to get here tomorrow, but we rushed back when we heard. I should have been back sooner." He frowned, stroking Near's hair. He checked to make sure all three of the children were asleep, then said, "I'm sorry, Beyond."

xXx

It was only later, after he'd returned to his room, that Beyond remembered the note he'd stuck in his pocket. He pulled it out, un-crumpling the paper and taking in the handwritten words. This was the solution Roger and Watari were looking for; the elusive 'why'. He smoothed it on top of his desk and began to read.

_Dear L, Ryuzaki, Mel, Matty, and Near,_

_I'm sorry to have left you all like this. I… I didn't want to, not really. But it's just too much._

_I've always been your equal, L. Ten years, and we've always been even, at least in most everyone's eyes. But you're the greatest detective on the planet, and I'm… well… not. I'm sick of being expected to be perfect. I'm sick of being the alternate for a position that will never be mine. You're too good at what you do to ever fail in a way that would lead to your death, so my existence is merely a precaution. And after today, with my parents dead… This has been my whole life. I don't know what else I have to live for._

_Ryuzaki, thank you for trying to help me, but I think I'm beyond help at this point. I'll never truly understand you, but you are my little brother, and I do love you. Mello, Matt, Near… I'm sorry to all three of you as well. I'm being selfish, but please… Allow me that this once._

_Your sister,  
__Aisha_

_L,_

_L, merci pour tout. Tu as été la première personne en dehors de mes parents qui ait jamais compté pour moi, et... je suis désolée. Je suis vraiment,vraiment désolée. Pardonne-moi s'il-te-plaît._

_Je t'aime,  
Arianna_

Beyond stared at the note, unable to do more. He had seen her this morning. He had seen the numbers and how close they were to zero, but he had never seen _why_.

She had missed L terribly. He remembered that when L originally left the house, it had hit her much harder than it had hit him. He had been upset that L was leaving, certainly, but it had been worse for Aisha. If L had visited more… If he had _seen_, like Beyond had… He was the greatest damn detective in the world, so why hadn't he seen…? Everything seemed to point to the same conclusion.

It was all L's fault.

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"As a fanfiction writer, your only virtue is to make the characters seem more human. You are borrowing someone else's imagination, if only to make them more dear to your own. Do them justice. Make them Real...Make them Human. If not that, why bother?"

To quote the amazing Mikanis, whom I have so much respect for. She is so correct. It was different in Cor, when Aisha was just a name that I had come up with to fill the space. But after working on this prequel, she became more of a person to me, like L and Beyond and everyone else already was. And it hurt a lot to write this chapter. It really did. Longest chapter so far…

Everything begins to end here. Next chapter will take a lot from chapter three of Second Child, the chapter that this story is named for.

Rest in Peace, A. Readers, I leave you with the translation of the final part of her note, for those of you who do not speak French.

Li

_L, thank you for everything. You were the first person besides my parents that I ever cared for, and... I'm sorry. I'm so very, very sorry. Please forgive me for this._

_I love you,  
__Arianna_


	14. Confession

Chapter Thirteen: Confession

Aisha's funeral had been quiet. The rest of the house had been told what happened to her, and there was a gloomy air all around. The afternoon after her funeral found L sitting cross-legged in front of her grave. Near was sitting in his lap, staring at the stone. It had her real name, Arianna Martin, written in arcing script across the top. A capital A was carved under that, along with her alias, Aisha. Beneath that, a small inscription that read simply, "A was for Angel, what she was to us. Much loved, much missed."

It had hit Near, Mello, and Matt harder than it had the other residents of Wammy's House. For them, Aisha was the closest thing they had to a mother. Especially Near, whose mother had died when he was too young to remember her. He sat silently, staring at the gravestone, before L finally stood and held out his hand.

"Come on, Near. Let's go home."

Near reached for his hand, walking with L back to the car that was still waiting for them. Watari sat in the driver's seat, an understanding expression on his face. He started the car, beginning the trip back to the house.

xXx

When they got back, L walked Near to his room, before retreating to his own bedroom. It hadn't changed much since he was a child. No one came in here when he wasn't at the house, so he was assured that everything would remain untouched. Sitting in his usual position on the bed, he sighed, wondering when things had started going so very, very wrong.

He barely noticed when Beyond slipped into the room, sitting on the floor beside the bed in a position that mimicked L's perfectly. He glanced up at him, asking, "Is Near okay?"

L nodded. Beyond stared at him, trying to figure out what had gotten his friend. "Are _you_ okay?"

L frowned. "I should have seen… I should have known…"

Beyond suppressed a slightly hysterical giggle. _No, no, L. __**I**__ should have seen! I'm the one with the eyes!_ He looked up at the older detective. "L, can I ask you something?"

L blinked, puzzled. "You know you can ask me anything, Beyond."

Beyond took a deep breath, considering the consequences of his question. "What… What's your real name, L?"

L stared at him, his eyes becoming unreadable mirrors as he closed off his thoughts. "I cannot tell you, Beyond. I'm sorry." He looked down at his feet, hiding how difficult it was to speak the words. He knew that telling Beyond wouldn't change anything. It couldn't endanger him any more than he already was. But he wouldn't tell him. He shut his eyes, waiting for the anger and confusion he knew would follow.

As predicted, Beyond was upset. "Why? You know everyone here's real name! How come you can know ours and we can't know yours?" He paused. "I wouldn't betray you! I wouldn't tell anyone!"

"Beyond…" L tried to say, attempting to find the source of his reflection's pain. "Beyond, why do you wish to know so badly?"

Beyond laughed, a harsh, slightly hysterical sound. His fingers dug into the carpet as he balanced on the balls of his feet. His eyes closed, and when they opened they blazed a brilliant ruby. "Do you know what I can do, L?" he asked, still laughing. L stared at him, uncertain what to say. Beyond grinned. "I see names, L. Names and numbers, floating above people's heads. Do you know what the numbers mean? They're how long a person has to live!" In a childish singsong, he began, "Mihael Keehl, Mail Jeevas, Nate River, Quillsh Wammy…"

L was stunned. How could he…? Unless what he was saying was true. L looked into his eyes, glinting bloody crimson like the eyes of the Japanese Death Gods. "Beyond…"

"Arianna Martin!" Beyond chimed. "Did anyone ever call her that, L? She lived here… ten years? Did you ever call _her_ by her real name? Ever?"

L closed his eyes. No. No, he hadn't. Since that fateful day he had stopped them from calling her Alter, he had never called her by her real name. She had always been Aisha.

Beyond watched him. "Do you know how guilty I feel, L? To watch the number decrease over the months… To see her _that morning_, with the number near zero, and not realize what it meant until it was too late. L, do you know?"

_I know what happens when the number hits zero!_

"It's not your fault, Beyond. There was nothing you could have done." L said quietly.

Beyond's eyes widened, and then he scowled. "A didn't know your name either, did she? Nobody does, but Mr. Wammy." He stared resentfully at the space above L's head. "I can't see your name. Not like everyone else's."

_I don't have to think about what I can't see… You, me, and the world…_

"Aisha loved you!" Beyond suddenly cried. He pulled the crumpled note from his pocket, throwing it at L. "She loved you, and you never told her your name! Are you going to wait until we all die before you decide to show who you really are?!"

L unfolded the note, his gaze quickly darting over Aisha's elegant handwriting. His eyes grew wider as he read the whole thing, before looking at Beyond in stunned sadness. "I… didn't know. I didn't know she felt like that."

"You were never here! How could you know?! You're going to go off and play World's Greatest Detective, and what do we get here?" Beyond demanded bitterly. "A was right. You're too good to get killed. I'm the back-up you'll never need. I'll never get to take your place, and you won't give me the simple gift of satisfying my curiosity and telling me your damn name! Yours is the only one I can't see besides my own! It drives me crazy! You don't have the eyes; you wouldn't understand!!"

"Ryuzaki…!" L said sharply, sensing that this was spiraling into dangerous territory.

"_No_!" Beyond howled. "I _hate_ that name!"

L stared at him, wondering. It was obvious that Beyond blamed him for Aisha's death, and that he was taking out his grief on the only source he could find. The younger boy blinked, his eyes a dark red-onyx once again, and looked up at L. "Please, L…" he pleaded.

L shook his head. "I'm sorry Beyond. I cannot." Beyond's eyes flashed hate, and L stood up. "You need to go to bed, B."

Beyond froze. L didn't use initials. L never, _ever_ shortened the aliases. Beyond usually didn't either. With Aisha it had been an endearment, not an initial to show rank. L was using an initial. The thought was enough to paralyze him, and allow L to steer him out into the hallway. He went back to his room blindly, numbed by the thought.

L didn't understand. L had never understood. L _couldn't_ understand, because he didn't have to live with the eyes. No one did, but him…

He curled up in bed, his stunned brain finally shutting down. But when at last he did sleep, his dreams were haunted with descending numbers and bottomless black eyes.

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So, Beyond starts to become the lovable psycho he is in the book. He totally blames L for everything, at this point. He's kinda like Mello. He lets emotion overrule his logic sometimes.

So next chapter I have to fix a continuity issue between here and Cor, because Beyond knew L's name in Cor. He told Mello, before he left the House. I know how I'm going to do it, so it's all a matter of getting it written.

As always, thank you for the wonderful and thoughtful reviews!  
Love and hugs!  
Li


	15. Diverging Pathways

Chapter Fourteen: Diverging Pathways

I have to be quiet.

Everyone's sleeping, and if I wake them now, all of this will have been for absolutely nothing.

L left this morning, really early. Something came up on the case he was working on, and he had to go. Hugged us all goodbye, as usual, but I think he's more wary around me now. I really don't blame him. After all, who wants to be around someone who sees death? Even if I am blind to his name and lifespan, it surely disturbs him, because it is something he cannot explain away. There are no concrete facts, except for one: I have this ability, and no more. But anyway, L is gone for the moment, and heaven knows when he'll be back.

I'm picking the safe in Roger's office, where he keeps money that hasn't been taken to the bank yet. Just enough for a plane ticket, and maybe some food. That's all I want. Yes, I'm leaving this place. I won't stay here and be their little replacement toy anymore. Pressing my ear to the cool metal of the safe, I turn the knob, listening for the very faint clicks that signal tumblers falling into place. Within minutes, the safe is open before me. I take only what I need, leaving the rest alone. I tuck the cash away in the pocket of my duffle bag, the only thing I'm taking with me. I don't really have much in the way of personal possessions. I took clothing, obviously. I stole some of L's white shirts. He has probably more than twenty, so he won't miss the few I took. I took my set of manga, because it is still probably the best gift he ever gave me. Love, courage, and hope. Holy up!

I also took the book Aisha gave me, the one on different mythologies. It's mine, and I'm not going to leave it for this house. Having something that belongs to just you is rare here, and those who have something like that cherish it. Mail's Game Boy that his father gave him when he was little is like that. Mail never goes anywhere without it. And Mihael's rosary, the only present his mother ever gave him.

I turn to leave Roger's office, when the filing cabinet in the corner catches my eye. It's where Roger keeps all the paperwork on all the children here. I hurry to it, realizing what I could do now that I'm here, and quickly pull out the bent pin I used to get into this office in the first place. Inserting it into the lock, I jiggle it around until it clicks, and pull the drawer open. Aisha and my files are first. I pulled out Aisha's, glancing inside. Arianna Martin… French… Birthday… No photograph. They aren't allowed, for the sake of protecting L and our identities as his heirs. My file it next. I peek into it apprehensively. Beyond Birthday… English… My eye catches on a note near the bottom.

_Appears to have a reckless streak, and antisocial tendencies._

Reckless streak, huh? What did they know? I stuff the folder back in the cabinet, certain to put if back where I got it, and begin looking for L's. Three drawers later, I find it, filed in the very back of the drawer. Pulling it out, I hold it with trembling hands. This is it! After this, it doesn't matter that I can't see…!

I flip the file open, my eyes snapping immediately to the top of the document. I stare for a moment, taking it in, then open my mouth to whisper it to the dead silence of two in the morning.

"L Lawliet…" I laugh, quietly. "L Lawliet. Lawliet…" I close the folder, putting it back in the drawer and closing it silently. That's it! The last bit I didn't know, mine at last! I swoop down, grabbing my bag and re-locking Roger's door behind me. Head for the front door at full speed, thinking only, "I've won! I've won!"

"Ryuzaki…?"

I stop, looking around for the source of the voice. Mihael is standing on the stairs, staring directly at me. He looks half-asleep, still, but I still feel caught. I walk to the nine-year-old, asking what I hope is normally, "Mello, what are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep." Mello says to me. I sigh, and he glances at my bag. "Are you leaving, Ryuzaki?"

Leave it to me to get caught by one of the two smartest children here. "Yes, Mello."

"But why? L and Aisha leave, and now you too?" he demands, looking sad.

I struggle for an explanation. "Mello, I have to do this. I need to live my own life, for once. Do you understand? I can't live in L's shadow forever."

Mello nods, and I admit to being stunned that he understands. He then looks up and says in a completely serious voice, "Okay, Ryuzaki."

In that moment, I want to tell him. Leaning down to give him a hug, I whisper to him, "My name is Beyond Birthday."

"We're not supposed to tell!" His blue eyes widen, almost impossibly wide. I smile.

"I wanted you to know." There's one more thing I can tell him. "Bye, Mello. One more thing?" I wait until I'm certain he's listening. "L Lawliet." Before the whisper can even make sense to the child, I'm away.

I don't know if Mello understood what I told him. He might not realize that the words that seemed nonsense were actually the name of the one we all aspired to be… It's a precious secret, and I'll keep it to my grave.

Darting out into the night, I walk quietly to the gates, slipping out and looking around. Freedom. A life outside of Wammy's walls waits for me. Will L look for me, I wonder? He seems one who wouldn't just let me disappear. He needs a challenge, something that isn't too easy for him. The perfect crime… So come and get me, L. Catch me if you can, if you dare.

I'll be waiting for you.

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As previously stated, he had to know L's name somehow, because Mello knows it in Cor and says that Beyond told him. (sigh) A plot hole I didn't anticipate. But it's fixed now.

So now I can move on to the case itself. Next chapter should be the start of it. I have to get out of the bad habit of writing only one chapter of this at a time, especially since my school laptop goes away next week and I'll have to rely on the library all summer.

Luv!  
Li


	16. Murder Murder

Chapter Fifteen: Murder, Murder

It had been almost three years. L was still the greatest detective in the world. He still retained his place as Interpol's final trump card. He still visited his heirs at Wammy's House, but he had begun going far more often in the past three years, after everything that had happened.

_L's phone rang as he sat on the plane next to Watari, on his way to Russia. There was a particularly difficult case there that required his assistance, and while he would work from behind the scenes, he wanted to be on-location. He slipped the black cell phone from his pocket, noting Roger's number at Wammy's on the front, and flipped it open. If it were Mello prank-calling him again, he would skin the boy alive when he returned._

_"Hello?"_

_"L? It's Roger. We… well… Something has happened. Something involving Ryuzaki. He's gone."_

_For a moment, L's blood seemed to freeze in his veins, and he felt cold all over. Beyond… What had happened to Beyond? He abruptly regretted leaving the other alone so suddenly. If anything had happened, it would be purely his fault. He took a deep breath, forcing his voice to be normal and asking softly, "Gone?"_

_"He's run away. He's taken all of his possessions, picked the lock on the safe…I doubt he's coming back." Roger said. "What should we do?"_

_L blinked. "Let him go." he said, knowing that Beyond needed space. If they tried to bring him back now, he would only fight, and might do something drastic. "I will watch for him on my own. Don't try to go after him."_

That was almost three years ago. There had been no sign of him since then, almost as if he had disappeared off the face of the world. But now L thought maybe he had an idea where Beyond might be.

On July 31, 2002, at 221 Insist Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, there had been a particularly odd murder. The victim, a man named Believe Bridesmaid, had been drugged and strangled with a rope. After he was dead, the murderer had left long gashes on his chest. The other unusual thing was the Wara Ningyo nailed to the walls, one on each. They were cheap straw dolls, but it was an odd thing to leave at a crime scene. Ordinary police might peg this as an ordinary murder, but L didn't think so.

The police had been sent a crossword puzzle that none of them could solve on July 22. Today, August 1, L had at last gotten a copy, and had finally solved it. If his answers were correct, which he was fairly certain they were, it pointed out the address of the first murder. But this was above the skill level of ordinary police. It was created with the skills of a Wammy's child, meant to be solved by another Wammy's child. A challenge, from one to the other. _Beyond…_

His heir had become a murderer. L couldn't even begin to understand why, at this point. All he knew was that if he knew Beyond, this wasn't the end. The challenges would keep coming, because this was a game to him. L had to stop him now, before more innocent lives were lost.

xXx

Three days later, on August 4, Beyond Birthday was sitting in an apartment on Third Avenue, staring at the child that would be his next victim. She lay on her stomach on the bed, looking for all the world like she was sleeping. She hadn't been hard to subdue. He had snuck up behind her, holding her still while he slipped the needle into her arm. The drugs took effect quickly, and she was out like a light. Her mother was at work, and apparently the girl had stayed home from school because she wasn't feeling well.

Beyond stared silently into the space above her head. The numbers had stayed the same, despite that he had changed her original fate. Even had he not come here today with the intent to kill her, she would have died. Probably a common accident while her mother wasn't at home. But he was here now, and her death, though still inevitable, would become a murder, and another piece of his puzzle.

He stood up, looking around the room. She was a nice-enough-seeming girl, this Quarter Queen. Though she was only thirteen, she was one of the best players on her middle school softball team. Trophies and ribbons occupied a set of shelves in one corner of the small apartment, obviously something of great joy for her and her mother. Beyond went over and looked at one. Second place in the city playoffs, the ribbon read. Beyond smiled faintly, walking back to his previous position and checking the numbers again. Not long now…

He walked around the bed, picking up the reinforced aluminum softball bat that Quarter kept leaned up against the wall. He weighed it experimentally in his hands, nodding to himself as he swung it back and forth a few times. It would work for his purposes. Coming back around to the front of the bed, he stepped up onto the end of it, staring down at the girl still trapped in a drugged sleep.

"Good night, Quarter Queen." he said quietly. Then, suppressing a giggle, he murmured, "Are you watching, L? Can you see me?" He lifted the bat up over his head, and swung.

When it was done, he pulled the pair of round glasses he had brought from his pocket, carefully wiping them of all fingerprints before sliding them onto the girl's face. He ignored the wound on the back of her head, dripping blood. She was already dead, the back of her skull instantly crushed on impact. Pain was not the intention, hence the drugs that he used on each of his victims. It put them to sleep; a sleep that which, when Beyond was finished, they would never wake from. But as he told himself again and again… If he had not killed these people, they would have died anyway, at the same exact time, probably for a stupid reason. Now, instead, they were parts of his mystery for L, the mystery that not even the great detective could solve.

He pulled out a cloth, turning to begin wiping down the room. The Wara Ningyo were nailed to the walls, and all that was left was to clean all the fingerprints and lock the door. Then he could go, and move on to his next victim, to scope out their routine and figure out when they were supposed to die. It was a woman named Backyard Bottomslash living in Glass Station. Beyond laughed to himself. Glasses. Glass Station. No one except maybe L could figure it out, and even then…

"You won't catch me, L. I will beat you, I will!" He moved to wipe down the bedposts first, knowing that his reflection would not beat him to the end. Whatever that end may be.

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Writing this chapter, it finally hit me how monumentally _unfair_ the Death Note actually is. To write someone who could be a thousand miles away down is a lot different from actually having to stand there and kill someone. Light was nothing but a _cheater_. No wonder the people he killed meant nothing to him.

I've got my novel on hand to check all the details, because I'm trying to be as close to correct as possible with the dates and stuff. Anyway, as of yesterday, my school laptop once again is in possession of the school. It's library computers all summer.

Finally, chapter 12 has been changed to correct my French. Thank you, **oruchuban Ebichu**, for correcting me. The only French I speak is what I learn in school, and the online translator, which apparently sucks. Thanks!

Hugs!  
Li


	17. Hands, Eyes, and Shield

Chapter Sixteen: Hands, Eyes, and Shield

It had always come down to Naomi Misora.

Beyond Birthday couldn't say for sure how much she knew and when, or how much L had figured out ahead of time, but he knew that if he could die and leave the locked room unsolvable, Misora would be stuck. She didn't know of him or his secret past, and she had no way of knowing that the murderer would commit suicide to achieve his own goal. L's hand, L's eyes… Naomi Misora was blind as a bat in this situation, only able to see an echo of the truth.

As for being L's shield… Certainly the detective refused to come personally, but Beyond had always known that. And he planned for it. But now, riding in the back of an ambulance in handcuffs with nothing to keep him company but pain and his own thoughts, he realized that he had underestimated Naomi Misora. She had figured it out ahead of time and been able to stop the flames from consuming his life. Now there was simply one thing he could call it.

Failure.

He had failed to defeat L, failed to outwit Naomi Misora, and failed to die in the end. His shame was complete. Wammy's wouldn't have taken him back in, even if he had wanted to return. There was no place for him but jail.

Misora had come to see him in the hospital, reading him his _proper_ rights like a good little police officer. He hadn't spoken to her, but there was something in her expression when she stared at him, almost like she had understood.

Strength. It took tremendous strength to be able to do something like that to yourself. He had hesitated, staring at the can of gasoline for a long time before finally working up the nerve to do it.

_The first spark was nothing, a twinge, a warmth, but then the gasoline ignited and fire was everywhere. Everything hurt, it was excruciating, but then the pain slowly began to numb and he knew his nerves were burning away…_

L had come too, once. He hadn't known Beyond was awake, but the burned man knew he was there, and listened to the things L probably wouldn't have said if he'd known Beyond had been listening.

"I can fix the courts. I won't let them give you the death penalty. Not to make you live with the fact that you failed, but for if you ever wanted to come home. Wammy's could get you out of jail; I'm L and they couldn't refuse me…" There was silence for a long time, and then L's voice again, harsher than the first time. "I'm sorry, Beyond, I'm so sorry. It's my fault. If I had been there for you and Aisha, this never would have happened…"

He had left soon after, and Beyond had gotten a measure of satisfaction from hearing L's apology. He finally got it, didn't he? His fault, his fault, his fault….

Naomi Misora kept coming back to visit him throughout August. He pretended to be asleep when she was there, just to avoid the inevitable awkwardness of any attempt at conversation. She spoke to him of her work in the FBI, and about Raye Penber. But one day in the last week of August, something she said got to him.

"I don't know the circumstances between you and L, but it's obviously _something_. It doesn't take an FBI agent to figure it out. There's bad blood between you, or so it appears. But if you wanted to run him around in circles, you shouldn't have killed people. There are other ways to get someone's attention." She sighed, then said in a softer voice. "I admire you, in a way. It takes tremendous strength, to have the will to endure pain like that. That's strength and commitment I could never hope to imitate. But I just wish I knew why you had done it. I'm going back to Washington in two days, and I'll never find out…"

"…had to be better…" Beyond mumbled without thinking. Naomi looked up in shock.

"Ryu– …I mean, Beyond Birthday?" she said, hardly daring to speak above a whisper. He nodded faintly. It hurt to move.

"I had to do it… L had to lose… Just once in his life, he had to lose…" he rasped, cursing the pain in his wounded vocal cords. "If he was perfect, Aisha and I had no right to exist…" Naomi hung on, rapt to his every word. Even if she didn't understand what he was talking about, the meaning came across clearly. "…Aisha died… because of him… I had to… I couldn't…" He gave up with a wince, his voice protesting being used for so long in its' damaged state. Naomi stared at him a moment longer, then murmured, "I think I understand… Your version of justice." She smiled faintly. "Thank you. You were… interesting to work with, those few days. I cannot forgive you for the murders, mutilating people and killing children," her voice held a tinge of disgust, "but I understand why you did it now, I think." She turned to leave, saying only, "Goodbye, Beyond Birthday."

His name, his full name, his real name, coming from someone other than L. Beyond felt a rush of gratitude towards the FBI agent that had ruined everything, and laughed silently. Life in prison would be hell, if L would not let him die, but that was okay. In a way, he had still won, because he mattered too much to L for the detective to let him go… Attachment would always be L's biggest weakness. Now, and forever.

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IT LIVES!!

Since I finished typing out the chapters for the other story, I decided to finish this one. I rather like how it ended, myself. I'm just going to post both chapters now, because there aren't any nasty cliffhangers. So, moving on...

:) Li


	18. Let it Be

Chapter Seventeen: Let it Be

On January 19, 2004, L left the task force to their work briefly, trusting them to work on their own for a day and a half while he took a short trip. He got on a plane to Los Angeles that morning, and when he arrived made straight for the state prison.

Flashing a fake ID, L was admitted into a small room normally meant for interrogations and face-to-face meetings. He waited for several minutes, before the door opened again and the guards came in leading a prisoner. The handcuffs he was wearing were hooked to a ring on the tabletop, and the guards turned to L.

"We'll be right outside the door if you need anything." they said.

L nodded distractedly. "Very well." He waited until the guards were gone to look up and meet the eyes of the young man sitting across from him.

"Well, look who came to visit me!" Beyond said with a mocking smile. "How _are_ you, L?"

"Beyond…" L said slowly, still uncertain as to what he had actually wanted to say to his renegade heir. He stared into flat red-onyx eyes, and asked quietly, "Do you know why I'm here?"

"The murders!" Beyond sing-songed. "Criminals keeling over of heart attacks, with no explanation! So many lifespans to watch run down as they die…"

"So you think they are murders then?" L asked.

"Of course! What else?" Beyond said, then frowned. "You're not here to ask my opinion on the murders, L. You're here _because of_ the murders. You're worried. You think that, if Kira is killing off criminals, he'll get me eventually."

"Naomi Misora is dead." L said flatly, interrupting Beyond's train of thought. "Murdered by Kira. I don't know how he got to her, but I think she knew something."

"Probably. Something important, for Kira to find her and kill her." Beyond said. His expression shifted into something almost subdued. "She's dead… She managed to beat _me_, and this person just kills her like it's nothing. That's not fair."

"You played fairly, Beyond." L said. "Kira gets by with something supernatural, I'm very sure. You got by on your skills alone."

"Praise for the murderer, L? Me, I mean. Kira the Coward deserves no praise."

"Not praise. Appreciation for equal intelligence. You know I don't support what you did."

Beyond giggled. "And _you _know the same thing that I told you two years ago. Those people were going to die at that day and time anyway. I cannot steal a life when there was not one left to steal. All I did was alter how their fate came about, not their fate itself." He looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "They didn't feel anything. They weren't in pain, because of the drugs, when they died. I think I might have just made their deaths more peaceful."

"You cannot justify murder, Beyond." L said sharply.

Beyond laughed. "Is that why you're here? To scold me? I don't think so, L."

L sighed, staring down at the table. Really, all in all, had it ever been about anything other than the two of them? Original and reflection; twins; _mirror-mirror, could you tell us who the real one is?_ He stared up at Beyond, and the other saw the expression on his face: pain and guilt and everything that L was never supposed to feel.

"Beyond…" he tried to say, not knowing that Beyond had already heard it, that day in the hospital a little less than two years ago. "Beyond, I-"

But Beyond interrupted him, interrupted the apology he knew was coming; the '_I'm sorry, I failed you and Aisha'_, because for some reason, even though it was all he had craved for years, that apology… He no longer wanted it.

"L…" Just a single letter, the only thing he had ever known of the World's Greatest Detective. Beyond looked up with a smile and said three words, simple, but with so much meaning behind them, "Let it be."

And L stared, confused. He started to say something, but Beyond shook his head sharply. He was silent a moment, then asked quietly, "Why?"

Beyond looked at the ground. "I don't forgive you, L. What happened to Aisha was your fault, at its' deepest level. You abandoned us when we needed you. But after spending two years locked up in a room, you have a lot of time to think. And I know how to do this now." He looked up at L, an ironic little smile twisting his lips. "I don't want your apology. The past is the past, and cannot be changed, and I can think of no better punishment for you than not being allowed to apologize for something you are truly sorry for."

"Beyond, no!" L said. "Please, don't do this! I–"

"I don't want your apology, L! _I do not forgive you!_"

L gaped at him, unable to believe it. The door burst open, and guards with guns came in. "What's going on?!"

L forced himself calm, and said slowly, "We had a… disagreement."

"Should we take him back to his cell?" one of the guards asked.

L deliberated for a long moment, then murmured, "Yes." Beyond smirked, confident in his victory. L moved to walk past him, then pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocket. He reached up, holding it above his head for Beyond to look at, then walked out of the room without looking back.

Beyond stared in astonishment, watching L leave and feeling that somehow he had lost his victory abruptly. For the scrap of paper held in two fingers above L's head had said, in clear, precise handwriting, 'L Lawliet.' It was his real name, the one thing that Beyond had never gotten from him.

And so it appeared that they were even yet again. Beyond had denied him the apology, having already heard it while in the hospital, but L had freely given his real name, nullifying any sense of triumph Beyond might have felt. As they left him in his cell, he began to laugh.

_Well played, L. Well played. I wasn't able to bring about your defeat, but maybe Kira can. I would rather it be ME! A cheating murderer isn't worthy of your time… But my time is coming soon. I won't be around much longer. Even without being able to see my own lifespan, I can tell. So, in the end…_

_…Thank you for telling me your name…_

Two days later, on January 21, 2004, Beyond Birthday died of a heart attack like so many criminals before him. But it couldn't compare to the pain of being burned alive, and unlike those before him, he died with a smile on his face.

xXx

When L received the list of criminals who had died that night, handed to him by Watari, he could tell from his mentor's expression what had occurred. He scanned the list quickly, finding the name somewhere near the middle.

Beyond Birthday.

He crumpled the paper, setting it aside and forcing himself to be calm. The task force was staring, and he couldn't afford to let this affect him. Naomi Misora and Beyond Birthday… Now the only ones alive who knew the entire story of the BB case were him and Mello…

"Ryuzaki? Is everything all right?" Matsuda asked.

L turned to him, familiar blank mask back in place. "Yes, Matsuda-san. I'm fine. Continue with what you were doing." Matsuda nodded, turning back to his work, and L frowned. In the end, Beyond had won, in a way. Because now L was stuck with the guilt of not apologizing.

He looked at the monitors, where cameras were watching Light Yagami do his homework, and narrowed his eyes.

_Kira… Whatever happens, I will catch you. You've made this personal, even without realizing it, and for that, I will defeat you. For Beyond…_

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The End

I'm so proud. This stands as the prequel to Cor, and I'm glad I got it done. You'll notice that I skipped most of the BB case itself. You read the book, right? That's all the same. The way it ends is what's important.

I hope you all enjoyed this indulgence of mine. :) When I finish From One Life to Another, I have another story idea, so I'll see you then.

Love and hugs!  
Li


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